The Market Common - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - Village With Shopping, Dining and Cinema

The Market Common is situated in Deville Street, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

on a former Air Force base on Farrow Parkway between highway 17 Business and Highway 17 By-Pass. It is a 114-acre site featuring restaurants, shops, entertainment establishments and residential properties. The Market Common is essentially an urban village decorated with landscaped parks, lakes and a public square.

The site was originally a World War II training and coastal patrol base when it was developed in 1940. After the war the Air Force took over the base until the early 1990s, when in 1993 the area was transformed in to the Market Common by the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority and developer McCaffery Interests. As well as the shops and restaurants, the new development added 180 residential units built above the retailers and 3,000 units ranging from live/work town houses to more expensive family homes.

This village is one mile away from Myrtle Beach's white sandy beaches and the Atlantic Ocean and two miles from Myrtle Beach State Park, so it is a convenient location for tourists to stay. Bookings can be made through Resort Quest located in the village, where there are one and two bedroom suite studios located above the shops and restaurants. These include the Kensington and Radcliffe buildings, which overlook Reed Street and its landscaped greenway, gazebo and shops as well as the Ashley building in Reed Street and its one and two bedroom condos overlooking Farrow Parkway and Grand Park Lake.

There are over 40 different stores in the shopping and entertainment center, which opens Monday to Saturday from 10am to 8pm and Sunday Noon to 6pm, whilst in the summer opening times are Monday to Saturday 10am to 9pm and Sundays 11am to 7pm. A large number of stores sell ladies, men and children clothing as well as sportswear, with more than ten shops also selling shoes. The area also boasts several jewelers, shops selling ladies accessories, health and beauty and places to purchase gifts for friends and family at home, as well as a number of specialty stores, sport, music, books and toy stores.

The cinema and restaurants are open later than the shops in the area. The 51,000 square foot local cinema Grand 14 with 14 fully expanded wall to wall screens was opened in April 2008 and offers discounts to students and senior citizens. It contains over 2,600 luxury seats with retractable arm rests and offers food and beverages such as pizza, pretzels, hot dogs, Nachos and Colas.

Many dining options can be experienced in the area, ranging from light snacks to prime dining. Chocolates, candies or ice creams can be obtained from stores like Cold Stone Creamery or Canipes Chocolates and Candies, whilst healthy drinks can be purchased from Jogo Juice. For lunches and evening meals visitors can try a touch of Italian food in the area, a bistro or some food with locally brewed beers.